OIPRD Expanding Investigation of Thunder Bay Police Following Recent Deaths of Two Indigenous Teens
Two Indigenous teenagers were recently lost in Thunder Bay in vastly similar circumstances to five Indigenous students subject to an Inquest last year, and one Indigenous man, Stacy DeBungee who died in 2015. All eight of these deaths were by drowning in Thunder Bay rivers, with no explanation of how anyone of them came to be in the water. Following DeBungee’s death, the lack of investigation by the Thunder Bay police prompted a systemic review by the Office of the Independent Police Review Directorate (OIPRD) into Thunder Bay Police practices with regard to the loss of Indigenous lives.
The OIPRD’s systemic investigation has now been expanded to include the case files of Tammy Keeash (17) and Josiah Begg (14), as First Nations leadership have expressed their ongoing concern for the safety of their youth, and for the total silence in response to the question, why is this happening?
To read more about the DeBungee case, and Indigenous leaderships’ crisis of confidence with the Thunder Bay Police click here.
In the News
Police watchdog review to include two recent cases of Indigenous youth The Turtle Island News, May 23, 2017
Thunder Bay review of police practices with Indigenous people to include two recent cases Toronto Star, May 22, 2017
Probe of Thunder Bay police now includes Keeash Chronicle Journal, May 22, 2017
Ontario watchdog expands probe of Thunder Bay police Toronto Star, May 20, 2017
OIPRD Expanding Investigation of Thunder Bay Police Service NetNewsLedger, May 20, 2017
Statement on Josiah Begg NAN, May 19, 2017
Leaders Frustrated with Investigations into Tammy Keeash death, Josiah Begg Disapperance NAN, May 17, 2017
First Nation’s family rejects Thunder Bay Police explanation for teen’s death Toronto Star, May 17, 2017
Thunder Bay police under fire over handling of death and missing First Nations youth National News, May 17, 2017
